Last Sacrifice
by Magic-81
Summary: I loved spirit bound so much i thought i'd write LS the way i would like it to go, i don't own anything.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One

"Rose?"

It was Lissa, I already knew she was in the walkway in front of my cell, hell I knew when she decided to even come and visit me, again our one way bound hard at work.

I was sitting on the one piece of furniture that my cell had, a metal framed bed. Well actually I wasn't just sitting; I had my knees pulled up to my chest with my head resting on them.

Lissa's feelings were coming through the bond so loud that they pulled me into her head. I saw what she saw, me. I looked pitiful, dejected.

She felt sorry for me that much was clear, also fear that I would be convicted not matter if I was guilty or not and then of course worry. But what really got my attention was how right in the back of her head was I small thought of anger. Lissa was angry at me, not because she thought that I was guilty but because I _did_ look so pitiful, I seemed broken to her, something she never thought she would see in me.

With that thought I ripped away from her mind and for the first time in a week of sitting in my damn cell I looked at Lissa. Anger written all over my face.

"Rose, what's wrong?" Lissa said and took a step forward toward my cell bars.

"What's wrong?" I sneered "You ask me that, I'm sure you can figure it out for yourself." I also took a step toward the bars.

The two guardians that stood slightly behind Lissa moved up as well.

I stopped.

"Rose please, I'm so worried about you, you haven't even looked at anyone that's come to see you let alone talked to them, and you just keep sitting on that bed not moving."

I laughed, I couldn't help myself.

"You forget I can see your thoughts, and I can see that you're angry at me. You think I'm _broken_. The mighty Rose Hathaway _is_ broken Lissa." I was ranting now but again I could help myself. "Don't you get it, there's nothing I can do. They are going to shoot me for something I didn't do, and as you are well aware I've done lot of things Liss, but I did not kill the queen."

Lissa tried to talk but I continued.

"They are going to shoot me and the one person I asked to come to see me didn't." Tears started running down my face. "He didn't come Lissa, he didn't come."

My knees went out from underneath me. I hit the ground.

I had sent a message to Dimitri straight after the hearing thinking he would come. I mean he had fought for me when the queen's guard had come for me, and was at my hearing, he looked into my eyes. And just that look had given me the kind of hope that nothing else could.

"But he didn't come" I sobbed out loud.

"Open this door." Lissa said the guardians.

They didn't move just stood there with blank faces.

Lissa turned around and looked at them.

"Open the cell door, NOW." She put compulsion behind her words this time.

The guardian to her left moved forward with only a little hesitation.

Lissa came in to the cell and dropped down to the ground next to me and wrapped her arms around me.

"Rose please, we'll get you out of this." She was pleading with me, through the bond I could feel that any sort of anger had left her, but I couldn't get the fact that it had been there out of my own thoughts.

I didn't talk, but I didn't move either. I just let Lissa hold me.

Aside from Lissa, id actually had quite a few visitors. All of my friends had come to see me, Christian had come with Jill, Adrian on his own, Abe and my mother had shown up as well. But Lissa holding me had been the first contact with a person that I had had since my arrest. It wasn't just the fact that I didn't move or talk to anyone, I wasn't allowed contact, something about how because I was a murderer I didn't deserve it. Ha, yay for me.

After about five minutes I pulled back from Lissa and I looked at her. She saw me as a larger than life badass, and here I was in a puddle of tears on the ground. Next to everything else I was feeling I suddenly felt like I was letting her down by acting how I was, but I just didn't have any fight left in me.

Usually it was me who had the plans, had the guts even to do some hair raising badass thing to get us out of the binds we had found ourselves in, but I was broken, like she had thought.

"Rose, I'll find a way out of this, I promise you. Even if it kills me I'll fix this."

"Lissa...." I started but this time she cut across me.

"No, rose, listen to me. I'll fix this. You have given everything for me, even when I didn't deserve it. It's my turn again."

Lissa had her determined face on and even in my state I didn't have the heart to tell her I didn't think she could.

So instead I just said "Okay."

Lissa helped me to my feet and backed out of the cell.

"I'm sorry I have to go now, I'll be back later though."

I just nodded my head and moved back to my bed.

The guardian that stood in front of my cell locked my door again, which made me feel even worse.

So I drifted off in to Lissa mind as she left. I hadn't spent a lot of time in her mind lately; I just didn't feel the need anymore.

But as she walked I felt lissa's resolve and with every step she took it got stronger and stronger.

As she walked through entrance way to the building her new guardians moved in behind her. I felt that she really wasn't happy about having them follow her everywhere, but the counsel had said it was non-negotiable. Ever since the queens murder anybody who was royal went nowhere without a guard even in court.

Just outside the door Christian was waiting for her.

"Did she talk to you?" he asked.

"Yeah she did, but I don't know, she's falling apart I've never seen her like this even after Dimitri was turned." Lissa replied.

"Well she is being tried for high treason and murder"

Lissa shock her head. "It's not that."

"What?" Christian was obviously confused by that.

"It's Dimitri; he hasn't gone to see her."

That stopped Christian in his tracks.

"Why, I thought now that he was back, they'd be all on. I mean I know you said he's got the guilt's, but Rose needs him. He's all about the 'damsel in distress' thing isn't he."

"I don't know, I mean he's not himself, he's just so sad. You should see his aura, it's so dark."

"Yeah but she needs him. I mean everybody heard about the cafe thing when the guards went to get her. I kind of figured that would be it and they'd be all on."

"I guess not, she asked him to visit and he didn't come." Lissa's feelings over came her then and she started crying.

Christian wrapped in her up in his arms, that made her feel a bit better.

"She just kept saying 'he didn't come, he didn't come'. I could barely stand it Christian I have to fix this."

Christian soothed her for a while, then taking her hand they kept walking. Neither one said anything more for a while but Lissa's mind was going 10 to the dozen, trying to think of a plan to get me out of this mess.

Lissa was so busy thinking that when they rounded a corner on the way to her room she just about walked straight into Adrian.

"Watch it...... oh hey." Lissa said looking up at Adrian.

I was startled to see his face. He looked so old and haunted.

"Oh hey." Adrian replied.

"Where are you going?" Lissa asked him.

"Where do you think? I haven't been over today." He looked down at the ground, so lost in his own thoughts he didn't even notice Christian standing right in front of him.

"Have you been to see her today? Did she talk to you?" Adrian asked.

Lissa just looked at him for a moment not really wanting to tell him that yeah she had seen me and yeah I had talked, but that it was all about Dimitri.

"Yeah, I did. And she did talk a bit." Adrian looked at Lissa, a little hope showing on his face.

"What did she say? Is she alright? God, she won't talk to me."

Lissa was about to say something when Christian saved her the trouble.

"Not much really; you know she's pretty upset."

Lissa was totally relieved when Christian had spoken, she didn't like lying especially to Adrian.

They said their goodbyes after that and I dragged myself from lissa's head.

Back in my cell I tried to steal myself for Adrian's visit. I couldn't very well ignore him now that he knew that I had spoken with Lissa.

I had no idea what to say to him. He had been so wonderful to me, loving me when I couldn't really return it, putting up with my hair-brained ideas and even trying to get me a good lawyer. I did care deeply for Adrian, but he wasn't Dimitri.

Ah Dimitri. My love, my lost love.

I stopped my tears by gulping I would not cry I had to get a hold of myself.

Who was I kidding, I was a wreck.

I heard the door at the end of the corridor open and Adrian strolled down towards me.

He was walking like he used to around St Vladimir's, like he had no concerns in the world. He looked so different than how he had a few minutes before when I saw him through Lissa.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

"Little Dhampir, I hear that you have graced the world with the sound of your voice again."

I looked into Adrian's eyes, at first glance I couldn't see what I had before, and even when he spoke he sounded normal. But looking into his eyes it was unmistakable. Adrian was tired and worried.

"Adrian," I started as I moved from my bed to the bars on my cell door. "I'm sorry . . . . "

"It's fine, don't apologise, because if you did then I would have to say sorry for my having, I don't know who many cigarettes in the last week. Although I must say whilst my stress relief methods are rather A-typical of my character, you're not speaking is rather . . . . Well quiet"

I laughed. Adrian hitched his cheeky grin on his face.

"I guess quiet is one word for it." I replied half laughing.

He moved up to his side of the bars and reached a hand through but before I could touch him the guards moved closer and reminded Adrian about the non-contact order. Adrian scoffed at the guards and then reached into his pocket brought out a smoke and lit it.

"What, hoping to block their view with your usual cloud of smoke?" I said my words dripping with my own special branded of mocking fun.

"Ah, there is the Rose Hathaway I know and love."

I shook my head. "Don't count on it, I mean hell I'll probably be dead in another week or two." I couldn't believe what I had said, I didn't mean it how it came out, but the sudden change on Adrian's face told me he had taken it the wrong way. Crap.

"Adrian, I'm sorry I didn't mean it that . . . "

"Rose, we'll get you through this." Damn what was with people and not letting me finish sentences today?

"I'm serious Rose, you'll be fine. I won't let them do this to you. Hell your mom and dad won't let this happen."

I snorted "Well maybe not Abe."

"She loves you, you know. She so worried about you."

"Yeah I got that."

"So does Lissa, everyone who has known you for any length of time loves you, you're just that kind of person. And we all know you didn't do it."

"I wasn't, not talking because I thought people didn't care about me Adrian." His tone had been light, joking even. But something about it rubbed me. "Yeah that's right anyone who knows me knows I couldn't do this, what about all the other people out there who think I'm a murderer?"

Adrian just stared at me lost for words.

I was being harsh but I didn't have any room in my head for the rousing, 'and the truth shall set you free' speech.

"Look Adrian, I'm sorry, but you and Lissa both need to get it through your heads, I'm not coming back from this. I know I didn't kill Tatiana but someone's done a pretty great job of framing me."

I moved away for the cell door and went back to my bed. Hoping Adrian would get the point and leave me alone.

But he didn't, he just stood there.

I don't actually know how long we were silent for but eventually I looked over at Adrian and decided to talk.

"Look Adrian, I'm really tired I need to sleep, can please leave me to rest."

He didn't move straight away, but he eventually turned around without saying anything more.

After I heard the door close I lay down on my bed. It wasn't late and I really wasn't that tired but I couldn't be around Adrian anymore. Well actually he couldn't be around me anymore.

He needed to move on, they all did, my friends that is. Mom and Abe would probably be devastated at my execution. Who was I kidding again, Janine would probably be happy to see the back of her rule breaking delinquent of a daughter, and Abe barely knew me, he didn't have anything to miss.

I was just glad that Lissa and Christian were back together, she would need that close leave of support when I was gone. Not only would her best friend not be there anymore but her shadow kissed guardian would be gone. Suddenly I thought of Robert Doru.

Oh god, he was a mess. He had described what it was like losing his shadow kissed to us in Los Vegas. I thought about how affected he was, my Lissa could end up like that. Oh god no, I couldn't let that happen.

I jumped up off my bed.

"Oh god, no, I've got to get out here." I shouted to the cell, not anyone or anything nobody was there.

The guardians at the cell door jump when I shouted.

"Prisoner Hathaway, please settle down." One of the guards said staring at me.

I was pacing my cell and because of how small the space was I was starting to get dizzy – even in a matter of seconds – "I have to get out of this, I have to get out of this." I said that over and over again, I must have sounded manic to the guards, and when I finally looked at them after they had been telling me to calm down for about 10 minutes, the look on their faces said it all, it was the 'oh no Hathaway's lost it, call the men in white coats' look.

Seeing that look I finally sat back on my bed, deep in thought.

Nothing came to my mind, I was blank. I couldn't think have how to get out, how to prove to people I was innocent.

I must have sat on the bed quietly for a while because when I jumped up again I actually managed to make one of the guards jump a little.

"I need to see my lawyer." I said maybe with a little bit more force than necessary. It took a minute for them to move. But next thing one of them moved over to the phone and rang up to the front desk and made my request.

When he came back over he said "Mr Mazur is on his way."


	3. Chapter 3

CHAPTER THREE

For the third time in a day, I was going to talk to someone I had point blank refused to communicate with for the past week.

Abe was sitting just outside the door to my cell on a chair that the guardians had brought down for him. They had left us alone together. I was a little surprised at that but knowing Abe the way I did, I had no doubt that there was likely money or promised favours involved in getting our space.

But I had bigger things worry about.

I sat for probably another 5 minutes before I opened my mouth.

I looked straight at Abe, considering which way to attack this conversation. I Decided the direct approach was best when dealing with Abe.

"Abe, I need to get out of here." There was no pleading in my voice just a steadfast resolve.

It hadn't taken long for Abe to come down to my cell, but in that half hour, I had made my decision.

"You need to get me out of here."

"Rose, we are doing everything we can. But to be honest with you I don't see many options." As per usual Abe held nothing back, but I'd already reached that conclusion on my own.

"I know, and you're not listening to me, _you _need to get me _out_ of here."

I saw a suspicious glint in Abe's eyes.

That was the nice thing about my father; he was pretty quick on the up take.

"Okay" he replied and stood to leave.

But I spoke before he could walk away.

"Lissa can't know, Abe." He just looked at me. I think I had actually stumped him.

"She can't be involved in this; with the queen murdered they will be electing a replacement. She needs to be the one to take that position and if I get her involved with this that will never happen."

"Okay" again was all he said.

When I was on my own again, I ran through my plan.

For once I tried to take in the whole picture; I tried to look at the situation from every angle.

So the facts; the queen had been murdered. Someone framed me for that murder. The queen had known this might happen and sent me a note telling me as much, and also that Lissa had a half sibling. And Lissa needs that sibling to for fill the whole quorum law thing. Also I was the only one who knew this fact.

Oh crap, or was I? I thought back to my conversation with Sydney. Someone had stolen the file that the Alchemists had on Eric Dragomir. The file that had details of a secret Vegas bank account.

Okay so recap on the facts. I may not be the only one who knew about this half-sibling thing, I needed to find that kid before anyone else did.

And then suddenly like my cell door slamming, everything smacked into place.

Whoever knew about the other kid, must have framed me to make sure I wouldn't be able to find out. Accept that person didn't count on the queen actually thinking enough of me to trust to help Lissa.

By this stage I was pacing my cell again. Dizzy, I sat down with humph.

Once the dizziness started to fade I got back to my plan.

So, the plan. Abe had to use his contacts to get me out here. I then had to find this kid and get him or her back to court and then Lissa could take her place on the counsel or even become queen. And that was why I had to do all of this without Lissa knowing, if even one of her opposition found out she had anything to do with my escape she would be done.

Also key to my plan was me staying alive. I had to do all of this without dying or being arrested again, because if I went, everything Lissa had been through since her families deaths would be pointless.

I would sacrifice my life for hers.

I would go into hiding, still able to take away her darkness but never being the guardian I always thought I would be.

I would do this for her, because 'they come first'.

With that I thought I would see what Lissa was up to. Her feelings were starting to become anxious, okay well more so than what they had been since I was arrested.

As soon as I settled in I found where she was going and the source of her stress, she was on her way to see Dimitri.

I was surprise to find she was walking through the guardian's wing of the long term accommodation. I didn't realise than Dimitri had been given permanent quarters.

Lissa knocked at the door. After a few moments the door opened and Dimitri stood in front of her.

Just seeing him through Lissa's eyes was enough to make me catch my breath.

"Lissa, how can I help you? Is there something wrong?"

"No, I just . . . . Well, I just wanted to speak with you about a couple of things."

Dimitri looked puzzled but moved back and allowed Lissa to enter.

His rooms weren't anything flash, just like the rest of the guardians employed at court he had a small but efficient space that served as both lounge and bedroom. Off to the left was a bathroom and to the right a small kitchenette.

And just like Dimitri's room at the academy, this place was spotless.

Lissa turned and told her guardians to wait outside, one of them went to argue the point but Lissa, not have patience for these two, simply hitched on a haughty look and said "I am quite sure that given the face that Mr Belikov has been given his own room amongst the guardians, that he has been deemed quite safe, don't you think."

Lissa's tone left no room for argument and the guardians left without another word.

"Sorry, they follow me everywhere." Lissa was looking back at Dimitri, who had moved to behind a small chair beside a reading table.

Dimitri was studying her; I could tell he was worried something was wrong.

"How have you been?" asked Lissa

"Fine, I haven't got anything much to do around here yet. But I keep myself busy." Replied Dimitri, with a look at the creased western novel sitting on the table next to him.

"I'm sure there is at least one thing you can do."

A look flashed over Dimitri's face, a look I really wasn't expecting. He was hurting. But why, I knew what Lissa was hinting at and so did he. She was trying to bring up the fact that he still hadn't seen me, so why the hell was he looking hurt. It was his choice not to come after all.

"Lissa, please don't start with this again."

"Don't you tell me not to start with this. She needs you Dimitri, she broken and it's . . ."

"She's being put on trial for high treason what else did you expect Lissa." He said cutting off her word with a frown.

I Lissa shook her head at him.

"It's not that, you don't get it do you?" she said

Dimitri just looked at her blankly, which she took for ignorance, but I could see the understand in his eyes, oh he knew alright and he still wouldn't come to me. A tear slid down me own cheek when I saw that. He must really be done with me.

At Dimitri's silence Lissa continued.

"She loves you, don't you get it. And you haven't gone to her. That's what the problem is Dimitri. Without you she's broken."

Dimtri raised a hand to stop her but Lissa pushed on.

"No, you will hear me out. I saw her after you were turned; she was crushed but her only thought was for you, to end your undead life and set your soul free.

"And then she came back from Russia thinking she had killed you. Did you know that right before she left Russia she found out that there may well have been a chance to save you?" Lissa took a quick breath but continued again. "Then you sent her that damn stake. She was a mess Dimitri, she tried to hide it but I saw it. But you know what? Not once did I see her like this. She never gave up on you, one way or another."

Dimitri just stared at Lissa for a minute, finally he spoke.

"You know why I can't see her. I told you, I can't stand what I did to her. She deserves better than those horrible memories." Dimitri moved and sat down heavily in his seat.

"But you defended her, at the cafe when the queen's guard came. I heard the stories; people have been saying you took out basically the whole guard without breaking a sweat."

"It was an automatic reaction, nothing more."

Dimitri put his head in his hands, and to my surprise that just made Lissa angry.

"You're lying." Lissa spit out. "You still love her I know you do. You can pretend all you like but I can feel how hurt you are. Why can't you just get it through your thick head, you two are meant for each other, things will never be right for you unless your together."

Lissa was fuming. This little outbreak was far more my style than hers but her worry for me was driving it.

Dimitri looked up at her, face hard.

"She's with Adrian now, I saw her neck. That's just how it is."

Lissa threw up her hands.

"For goodness sake. Men. You're all alike, always thinking you right."

With that she stormed out of Dimitri's slamming the door behind her.

Lissa stormed all the way to Christian's room, at which point I left her and came back to myself.


	4. Chapter 4

CHAPTER FOUR

It took me awhile to fall asleep.

I was lost in thoughts of Dimitri. Running over not just his conversation with Lissa, but everything that had happened with him since he was changed back.

Even though all of the things he said to me, to Lissa as well, brought more and more tears.

My head was so full of my teary haze that when I finally fell asleep and found myself in the quad at St Vladimir's, I just about didn't notice.

"Little Dhampir, nice to finally see you. I expected to see you much earlier seen as you said you were tired." Adrian said from behind me.

I turned around, wiping at my face. My tears hadn't actually stayed on my face in the dream but I could still feel them.

"Hey." I replied look at Adrian. "Nice dreamscape."

Adrian shrugged "I thought this might cheer you up, you seemed so sad earlier."

I just looked at Adrian. He was trying to do something nice but I couldn't even muster a smile.

"What, are you not speaking again?"

"No, that's not it. It's nice, thanks."

It was Adrian's turn to stare. I could see his mind turning over, trying to decide how best to deal with my current state.

I forced a smile for him, he deserved that much.

Adrian took a step toward me; obviously feeling like my smile was an invitation.

He leaned in and kissed me obviously wanting to step it up a notch. But I cut it short. Somehow the whole kissing him thing didn't feel right when I had just stopped crying over another man.

"How far does this scene go?" I asked him.

"Why?"

"Well, I thought maybe we could walk a bit." I said trying to cover my not wanting to kiss him.

"It's a dream Rose; we can go wherever you want."

Adrian took my hand as I started to walk.

We walked for a while looping the campus, not talking at all. When we came to the back of the campus proper Adrian stepped on to the path that, I was well aware, lead to mine and Dimitri's cabin. I jerked my hand from his and headed back toward the school buildings.

Adrian followed me for a few steps then stopped.

"Rose, what's wrong?" I looked at him sideways.

"Well I mean aside from the obvious."

I shook my head and looked at the ground.

Walking around the campus hadn't made me feel any better, in fact seeing the path to the cabin had made me feel worse.

Adrian moved toward me and tried to wrap his arms around me.

"Adrian, please don't." I said with as much force as I could manage.

He stopped, obviously confused.

"I can't do this Adrian."

"Do what exactly?" Adrian's face dropped.

I thought before my next words, I didn't want to break Adrian's heart, but he couldn't stay with me. I would just drag him down, not to mention the fact that I was still completely and utterly in love with a certain ex-strigoi.

I figured that I would take the 'rip the bandage off' approach.

"Be with you."

Adrian started to protest but I kept on talking.

"I'm bad for you Adrian, you need to walk away now, before, before . . . . "

I couldn't say the rest off that sentence.

"Well I guess my playboy antics - as my father calls them – are nowhere near as badass as some of your exploits." He lit up a smoke, and took a drag.

"I'm serious Adrian."

"Oh I'm quite sure you are Little Dhampir, but I've already told you I'm not walking away again."

I just about yelled at him, actually I really could have throttled him, here I was trying to be kind and he wasn't buying it.

I took a few calming breaths. But before I could speak again Adrian dropped a kiss on my check, and started walking away from me.

"I will see you again little Dhampir, for now stop thinking so hard, it's not a good look for you." He said in a very teasing tone.

"Screw you Ivashkov."I yelled back just as the dream dissipated and I feel into an uneasy sleep.

The sun was still up when I woke the next day, being the middle of summer it wouldn't set for another hour or so. Got to love the Vampiric Nocturnal Schedule.

My sleep had been plagued with bad dreams. The photos of the Queen murdered in her room flashing through my mind. The blood. My stake, sticking out of Tatiana's chest.

I was still in shock when i got out of my bed.

Taking deep beaths i continued with what had become my morning routine.

A female guardian would come down and escort me to the bathroom where i took my shower and got ready for my riveting day of sitting on my ass.

I was never left alone, not even when I was actually in the shower. I mean I had a curtain and everything but my guardian watchdog was in the room.

Let me tell you, prison is so not cool!

My routine only took about 15 minutes; I wasn't allowed any facial products just soap and shampoo.

Back in my room, I made my bed and then sat down leaning on the wall.

I thought about Adrian; how he didn't seem to want to recognise that I was trying to breakup with him.

I thought about Dimitri, how he didn't want me anymore.

I thought about Abe, and if he really would be able to get me out of here.

And I thought about Lissa. She would be so hurt if I managed to get away and didn't take her with me. But that hurt was a better option than if did tell her. If I did she would insist on coming with me and if that happened it wouldn't just be her life that would be ruined. I was starting to see how important she was to both our races. I didn't want her use spirit to change strigoi back to their former selves because of the damage the darkness would do to her, and me, but people were starting to see her as a leader, as their future.

I slipped into Lissa's mind then. She was actually already out and about. She was sitting in one of the courts many cafe's having breakfast with Christian.

"So, what's your plan for today?" Christian asked her through his mouthful of Bagel.

My mouth watered a little when I saw him taking another bit. Prison food wasn't bread and water but damn, it sure as hell was a BLT Bagel.

"Not much, I thought I would go and see Rose later, but I'm not sure when I'm going to get to that."

Christian looked at he a bit confused.

"I've got a couple of meetings this morning. Some of the royal families' representatives want to sit down with me." Lissa explained

"I wondered how long that would take." Christian said with a knowing nod of his head.

"Yeah I know, but it just seems kind of weird without Rose. She always manages to analyse what people say and give me another point of view."

"Yeah, she certainly does that." Christian said with a laugh.

Lissa laughed too, but it was short lived. Through the window of the cafe she saw Dimitri walking along with last person she expected, Abe.

They seemed deep in conversation.

"What are you looking at?" Christian asked her, his back was to the window so he had to turn around to see anything.

Lissa pointed in the direction of Dimitri and Abe.

When he had seen what Lissa had pointed at he turned back and looked at Lissa.

"I didn't know they knew each other." He said.

"Well Rose said she meet Abe in Baia, Dimitri's home town, so maybe they know each other from there?" Lissa shrugged.

Even though that's what she said, her thought were a lot more in-depth, she wondered what Abe was up to talking to Dimitri. Something didn't quite feel right about see those two together.

I slipped back out of Lissa's head.

She was right; it wasn't right seeing Abe and Dimitri together.

In Siberia, when Dimitri had held the healing ring Oksana had given me, he had warned me to stay away from 'Zmey', telling me he wasn't to be trusted. So, seeing him talking to Abe, well it set off all kinds of warning bells.


	5. Chapter 5

**Hey guys, sorry this chapter took a couple of days, have been really busy.**

**Hope you enjoy it. **

CHAPTER FIVE

After that I spent my time that day either trying to figure out why my father was talking to Dimitri or listening in on Lissa's meetings.

Even though I spent a lot of time theorising about Dimitri and Abe, I really didn't get very far with it.

I knew that Dimitri didn't like Abe at all, he didn't trust him. So why the hell would he be talking to him now.

As for Abe, well, he was always up to something, always had some scheme going, if I believed Sydney or the rest of my friends from Baia. Or, well, he knew about my relationship with Dimitri so maybe he was having a 'little chat' with him like he had with Adrian.

Yes, I had told him he didn't need to, as I could threaten anyone myself. But at the end of the day he was my dad, and wasn't that what normal Dad's did?

So, with no clue what was going on with those two, I went to Lissa.

She was in a meeting with Princess Evette Ozera, the Ozera council representative, and Tasha Ozera. It was her first meeting of the day.

"So what exactly do _you_ want of me Princess," Lissa asked "I mean, I know what Tasha wants but, you, as Princess are bound to have a different view of this . . . . . . . . Situation."

I was proud of Lissa; she was trying to take in the whole situation. Tasha had just finished a long speech about how much the Moroi, as a whole, could gain if Lissa (and any other spirit user they could find to help) could turn strigoi back to their original state and from there she had gone on to the fact that sending Dhampir children out at 16 to fight was unnecessary if, Moroi would stand up and fight. But the entire time Tasha was talking Evette had just sat there looking at Lissa.

"Actually Princess," Evette said, smiling at Lissa. "I was wondering how, an 18 year old Moroi, who is an orphan, who has spent the bulk of the last week visiting the murderer of the last head of state, and who has control of an unknown and as yet untested magic power, could do and be everything my dear cousin here believes."

Lissa looked at Evette unsure of how to respond. I was fuming, how dear this woman come in here and doubt Lissa.

I could feel Lissa's self doubt coming through the bond. Lissa wasn't mad at what Evette had said, unlike me, in fact all Evette had done was simply voice what Lissa herself had been thinking for quite some time.

Lissa took a deep breath and closed her eyes for a moment trying to steady herself.

_Oh god Rose, I wish you were here. I need you to support me._

Lissa didn't really think I was in her head but, these days she was kind of getting use to the idea that I might be, in fact it was a little comforting to her to think that I might be in there, listening.

Taking another deep breath Lissa opened her eyes and looked at Evette.

"Princess, let me assure you that, while I may only be 18, I have carried the burden of my title and place in Royal Moroi society since the moment I woke in a car wreck two years ago, with, not only my brother dead in front of me, but both of my parents." Lissa took a pause and pushed aside emotions that, even the mention of that horrible event had invoked.

Evette's face had lost its smile and was now a blank mask. So Lissa pushed on in a calm even tone while making sure that her body language stayed open and relaxed, even if that wasn't what she was feeling.

"And as for my seeing my best friend, even though she has been _charged _with high treason and murder, I would like to remind you and anyone else who is taking an interest in my movements in the court, that Rose has been _charged_ not _convicted_ and instead scrutinizing who I visit perhaps notice that I am obviously loyal to my _friends_. Which is an amiable quality? Especially in a person, who, they claim to want as their queen."

Lissa hadn't brought up Spirit, Evette was right about the fact that it was untested, and even Lissa herself had no idea of its full capabilities or limitations.

"I see." Evette said after a few moments.

The room was quiet for several moments. Everybody, obviously analysing what Lissa had just said. Evette's face was still blank but Tasha's face shone with pride at Lissa.

Lissa herself was trying to figure out what to say next, she had wondered what people had wanted to meet with her about, now she had her answer.

Lissa decided to speak again.

"I am young, I will give you that. And I hadn't really considered becoming the next queen of our people. And to be honest I'm not entirely sure if it will happen. But, I can assure you, if a time comes about that I am elected by the counsel to become the next ruler I will endeavour to be fair and just monarch."

Lissa was taken by the conviction she heard in her own voice, but the more she spoke out loud the more she wondered if she could indeed be the next queen.

"And what of politics? Ruling isn't just about being fair; people will need to know where you stand on our societies current issues if they are to elect you." The princess asked.

Lissa thought about that for another moment, she had views alright, but she had to phrase them just right.

"My political views are all about what is right for our people. We are at cross-roads. If we, as a ruling class do not make the right decisions our world will fail, yet, make the right ones and we will thrive. But, the line between the right direction and the wrong is thin."

Lissa stopped there. She didn't want to play all her cards at once.

Listening to her thoughts, I was proud. I hadn't before grasped the fact that Lissa really did have the capability to rule, I knew that it was a possibility but being in her head, I could feel that she really did know what was happening in our world. And she knew that being a part of the 'ruling class' wasn't just a birth right, it was an honour, it was a responsibility. It could mean that, thousands of Moroi and even Dhampir lives could be in her hands.

Hearing all this in her head just reinforced to me the fact that I had to get out of here and find her only other living relative, so she could get on the counsel.

Back in the meeting room, a small smile was on Evette's face.

I was use to seeing people come around to Lissa's ideas, but even now it was mind blowing to watch. Lissa had a natural ability to instil faith in the people around her because of spirit, and by the look on Evette's face it was obvious that, that was what was going on here.

"Very well." Evette said with a nod. "You have my support, I will go back to my families counsel inform them of our meeting and give them my opinion."

"Thank you." Lissa replied as all three woman rose from their seats.

When Lissa go to the door Tasha told her cousin that she would meet up with her later and stayed in front of Lissa. Tasha seemed to be contemplating her words.

"Lissa, I want to say something to you as your friend but I don't think you're going to like it."

"Okay." Lissa said a little apprehensively.

"I don't think you should see Rose anymore." Tasha lifted her hands to stop Lissa before she told her were to get off. "Please let me finish. I know that you believe Rose didn't do it, but I have heard whispering amongst the other royal families. They believe that Rose is guilty and you going to see her are saying to them that you support her. . . . . "

"I do support her." Lissa said completely thrown by Tasha's line of conversation.

"I know Lissa I do, but you have to understand what this could do for your chances of becoming queen or even getting on the counsel."

Lissa just stared at Tasha.

"You think I should stop going to see my best friend when she needs me most?" Lissa asked Tasha in utter disbelief. And I have to say I was surprised to. Tasha was usually all for going against the establishment.

"I think that if you want to be queen you need to tread very carefully Lissa."

"I won't stop seeing Rose just because people who don't know her think she's a murderer. Rose has been there for me, every step of the way. She kept me safe when nobody else could, she saved me from Victor Daskov, and she even helps me deal with my spirit. She would give her life for mine, no questions asked. Have you ever had someone who loved you enough to give up every part of their life for you? No Tasha, I will not abandon my best friend, do you understand me?"

Tasha nodded. "I thought I had that. Once." She said under her breath.

"Look I think you should go now." Lissa said in a calmer voice.

Tasha just nodded again and walked away.


	6. Chapter 6

CHAPTER SIX

Lissa and I both watched Tasha as she walked away, and for once I was the one that was confused and Lissa was the one angry.

She went back into her apartment and started pacing. We both kept replaying Tasha's words back and forth in our heads.

Lissa was fuming. She wasn't even in school anymore and people were still trying to tell her what to do.

And me, well I just couldn't get my head around the drastic change in Tasha, I couldn't put my finger on what was wrong with her but something was.

Lissa didn't have time to dwell on Tasha's words however; her next meeting was supposed to start in another 15 minutes.

I decided to hang around in her mind for the rest of her meetings. I was pretty sure she would be getting the same line of questioning from the rest of the representatives but, I wanted to stick around and make sure I knew exactly what was going on!

Most of the people that came to Lissa really didn't surprise me; they were the people that voted against the new law that mean Dhampir's would graduate at 16. Her last one however threw me even more than Lissa's conversation with Tasha.

It was the newly elected Voda family representative, Prince Alexander Voda.

Lissa opened the door to the Princes knock.

I didn't know the Prince very well at all, I mean I had seen him around but the court was so big that, that wasn't a surprise.

But from the look on his face and the way he walked in to Lissa apartment, I would have put money on him being incredible anxious.

Lissa motion to toward a love seat opposite her chair.

"Please sit down." She said. "Can I offer you refreshment?"

"No thank you, I'm fine." Alexander said.

When he had sat down Lissa moved to her seat and sat very openly, like me she could tell he was anxious. She took a look at his aura, and it was jumpy.

Lissa decided to start the ball rolling.

"So, Prince Alexander," she started

"Please Princess call me Alex, I still find being called by my new title a little off putting."

Lissa smiled, that was something she total understood.

"Very well, Alex, What brings you here today? I'm sure you can understand that i was a little surprise when I received a call from your personal secretary."

Lissa was being cautious, she didn't want to say anything much until she knew what was going through the princes head, considering, he was technically the opposition.

Alex nodded his head for a few seconds.

"I do understand that my being here, is shall we say, unexpected." Alex paused, obviously considering his word carefully.

"As you are aware, I only gained my families title and vote because of the death of my dear cousin. When Queen Tatiana put the vote about the Dhampir's to the counsel, I was overwhelmed with the death of a family member, the burden of my new position and the wishes of my family." Alex paused again.

"What are you trying to tell me Alex? Are you saying that you have changed your opinion about the new law? Because if you are, I'm afraid that it may have come a bit late." Lissa said, she had no notable tone in her voice that might be picked up as sarcasm but I was in her head so I heard it loud and clear.

"I'm not saying that princess, but what I am saying is that perhaps after reading the report of Pricilla's death, that, I now find myself aware of what a couple of Strigoi can do to a team of _adult_ guardians. And now as a result of this new knowledge, I feel it is, prudent, to research the other side of the argument."

Lissa contemplated Alex's words. He hadn't come right out and said, 'screw the new law'. But it was very obvious he was having second thoughts. That made Lissa and I both wonder if there were other representatives feeling the same way.

"I see." Said Lissa. "So how can I assist you in your quest for information?"

"Well, unlike most of the other members of the counsel and indeed my own family, I do not have any questions about your ability to lead, should that become an option, as I knew your father well, and I am aware that he provided both yourself and your brother with the skills to rule."

Well, that was a little bit of interesting information. Even if both Lissa and I didn't entirely agree with the passed on skills, yes he had taught Andre, but not Lissa.

Alex continued.

"I am also aware that along with your friend, Miss Hathaway, you are strongly opposed to the idea of Dhampir's graduating and becoming guardians at the age of 16. So, that taken into consideration, I would like to know, how you would propose to defend us against the Strigoi (if not with the younger Dhampir)?"

Lissa looked at Alex for several seconds.

All of the other representatives Lissa had seen that morning, had been asking the sort of question, the only difference between Alex and the rest of them was that Alex had asked a direct question, were as the rest of them had skirted around the direct line, so Lissa had been able to give reasonably vague answers, so she wouldn't show her hand to early.

"Alex, there are so many different theories about how to deal with the Strigoi threat." Lissa started. "But the question should really be which methods will work. Some of our number, say we should hide, others say that we should fight, use the powers that we are gifted with. But as yet neither of those two theories or any other has been studied at length. So until there is a time that, that has actually happened, I don't believe that, me, as a non-military mind should be saying one way or another."

I was so proud of Lissa; she was really getting her head around the whole, political-non-committal-answer thing.

Alex however was not.

"Princess, I have listened to the politicians of our society for many years, so I am aware of non committal answer. But surely you understand that at this time our people need real answers, not just vague rubbish that we as royals dish out when we don't want to put our necks out for fear of the guillotine."

"Let me assure you Alex, that I am not afraid of putting my head out, but at this point I do not know if you are friend or foe, so you will excuse me if I do not share with you the inter thoughts of my political mind."

Lissa stood abruptly, suddenly very tired of people and questions.

She looked over at Alex smiling sweetly. "If you excuse me I have another appointment that I will be late for if I do not hurry."

She was lying, but she was done for the day.

Alex just nodded, and stood to leave, obviously feeling the small bit of compulsion Lissa had put in her words.

"Thank you for your time Princess." Alex replied and moved to the door and out of the apartment.

When Lissa was sure she had left enough time for him to clear the hallway, she left almost at a run to come and see me, to have a normal conversation that she didn't have to watch what she said.


	7. Chapter 7

CHAPTER SEVEN

Lissa was pacing in front of my cell; it hadn't taken her long to get to me at a run.

She had a million thoughts going through her head, but the more she paced the more her thoughts collected into intelligent sentences, instead of random ravings.

"Oh my god. You should have heard them all." Lissa finally started after five minutes of pacing.

"They were all 'How do you think your age will affect your chances at ruling' and 'what are you views on the political side of things'. Seriously Rose it was like they all had the same speech writer. Aaahhh!"

When she finally paused I thought it was time I told her I _did_ know what they had said.

"I know Liss, I was with you."

She stopped pacing.

"For the all of the meetings?" she asked me with a concerned look on her face. I could feel her hoping that I hadn't heard what Tasha had said.

"Yeah, all of them." I said trying to keep any tone from my voice. She was obvious worried that I would kick off about what Tasha had said to her.

"Oh." Lissa said. Her thoughts now going to pity for me.

"It's fine Liss, honestly. I mean she's probably right. The whole, best friends with a suspected killer thing, isn't really going to help with your chances of ruling."

She didn't say anything; she was stunned by my reaction.

"I mean, it's fine, I get it. I didn't think it would come from Tasha, but its right all the same."

"I wouldn't, I couldn't do that to Rose." Lissa said in the same strong tone I had heard her use with the representatives'.

"I need you now more than ever, and I know you didn't do it."

"You don't need me Liss, I heard the way you handled those people. You have a good mind, and a good heart. And if you need to be a little bit harder, I just know Christian will make sure you are." I really didn't know who I was trying to convince more, me or her.

Lissa ignored the fact that I had just told her I thought she would make a good queen

"Rose, you're talking like you won't be around to help me, like it's already decided."

"I just know that someone is doing a damn good job of pinning this on me Lissa. And you need to learn how to do things without me."

Tears started rolling down Lissa face. The reality of the situation was finally hitting home.

"This can't happen, you are my centre." She sobbed out.

I walked up to the cell door and put my hand on her cheek.

My guardians didn't move. One of them was guardian Tanner, and the other one as some newbie who hadn't been told about the non-contact order yet.

"Lissa, I know it'll be hard, but you'll get there, you stacked a Strigoi a few days ago, hell it's all cake after that." I said trying to lighten the mood.

I felt like crap for not telling her that no way in hell was I going to be put to death for something I didn't do, but instead go find her half-sibling she knew nothing about.

"I can't do this without you, not just you as my best-friend, but without you as my shadow kissed guardian."

I had nothing to come back to that with, she was right. After all that was the one of the reasons I was trying to get out of this place.

At that point the door at the end of the hall opened.

"Oh crap." I said.

Lissa turned around wiping her eyes and greeted my mother, Janine Hathaway, Guardian Hathaway to almost everyone but me.

"Hi." Lissa said to my mother.

"Princess, how are you?" Mum asked in her stoic tone.

"Please call me Lissa, you're my best friend's mother there is no need for a title." Lissa said shyly. "And I'm alright considering.

As Mum came level with her in front of my cell she turned back toward me.

"Hello Rose." Mum said. "Abe tells me you're communicating now." She winced a bit then, like it hurt that I had talked to a father I barely knew before her. But to be fair I barely knew her either.

Me and mums relationship wasn't as bad as what it used to be. My killing Strigoi and losing people I cared about had kind of even the scales between us. Like my dealing with those things had made me worthy of her attention.

"Hey." Was all I responded, I didn't know what else to say.

Mum turned to Lissa. "Would you mind if I had Rose to myself for a while Lissa?"

Lissa looked at me and I gave a slight nod, I wasn't looking forward this conversation but I had known it was coming.

"I'll catch you later Liss."

"Okay, get the guards to send me a message if you need me."

"Bye Janine." Lissa said as she left

My mother just nodded.

When Lissa had closed the hall door mum turned to the newbie guardian, who was staring at her awe struck.

"Would you please find me a chair and then leave us. I'm sure that Guardian Tanner and I can deal with my daughter if the need arises."

The newbie just nodded and set off at a run, only to pleased to do anything that the great Janine Hathaway asked. I however just rolled my eyes.

Two minutes later the Newbie came back with a chair and then dutifully left us.

"So, I wondered when you would come by." I said.

"This was the first chance I've had since you started talking again."

"I thought you'd be gone by now."

Mum just looked at me with that, aaahhh teenagers look that parents get.

"This is far too important for me to be anywhere else Rose."

"Right. So who is looking after your family while you're here?"

"They are here as well. We thought given the current state of things that the best thing to do was be at court."

"Figures." Was all I said. She probably wouldn't have been here if it wasn't for that fact.

Mum leaned forward and grabbed hold of the bars.

"Rose please. I'm here to help you, not to argue." She pulled back from the bars and put her head in her hands. "I thought we were past this."

When she lifted her head to look at me again she had tears in her eyes.

She was right we were passed this. I was just taking out my situation on her.

"I'm sorry mum." I said honestly.

"Janine." Mikhail said. "It's almost time."

Mom looked at her watch and stood up.

"Rose, I meant what I said, I'm here to help."

I watched her, stunned as my perfect guardian mother pulled out a lock picking set from her pocket and opened my cell door.


	8. Chapter 8

CHAPTER EIGHT

My jaw hit the floor.

No. Way. This was so not my mother, she was well know for following the rules, and being one the most hard-ass guardians there was.

"Mom, what the hell . . . ?" I started.

Janine opened the door to my cell walked in and stopped in front of me.

"Rose, you are a lot of things. Things that as a Guardian you should not be, but the one thing I know you're not, are a cold blooded killer."

Again my jaw hit the floor, somewhere in my mind I had realised that my mother believed that I was innocent, but that teenage part of my brain had convinced the rest of me that, the mighty Janine Hathaway would always believe her beloved Guardian Council over me.

"Rosemary." My mum called my attention back to her. "It's time for you to leave. Abe has arranged everything, but asked me to get you out of the prison block. We figured if anyone could get you out of this cell it would be me, no one will question me."

"Mum, you can't do this, if you get caught . . . . . "I started, trying to stop my mother from possible committing career suicide and for that matter aiding and abetting.

But before I could finish my speech, there was a huge boom somewhere outside and before I could put anything together my mum grab my arm and we started to run.

When we got to the bottom of the stairs that led up to the main foyer, we turn down another hallway and through the bottom of the guardian building.

Every now and again we would pass a guardian slumped over or sprawled on the floor, and when I gasped out a question to my mother as to why they were unconscious, she just told me to stay quiet and keep running.

After what felt like a lifetime of hard out sprinting we came to a door, that I knew from my previous explorations of the building was the back exit to the guardian build, the one that open up right into the guardian garage.

Janine came to an abrupt stop and turned to me. Guardian Tanner who had been running with us stood watch as my mother pulled me into a fierce hug, unlike anything she had ever given me before.

I was stunted into silence and any question I had about how the guardians had been incapacitated or how I was going to get out of the court were lost. For a few seconds I embraced my mother and knew that no matter what my previous thoughts about how my mother felt about me or even having me, were wrong.

She loved me, and had now shown she would do anything and everything to keep me safe.

Mom moved away first and took me by the shoulders in a firm grip, borne from years of guardian training.

"Rose, I can't go any further with you, there is a car right outside this door. You need to get into it without any questions. The driver will make sure you get out of the court grounds"

I opened my mouth to ask who it was but she silenced me with a fierce look.

"I trust him, he will take care of you and once he has got you out of the country I will take a vacation and come to you."

Again, I wanted to ask questions, but she hugged me again. Telling me she loved and pulled back and opened the door.

"Go!" Janine said and pushed me out into the garage and closed the door firmly behind me.

I took in the sight of the garage, about half a dozen guardians lay in various states of unconsciousness, some moaning, some just silent and some with very obvious broken bones, but they all seemed alive.

After about 10 seconds I saw a big Ford Explore idling about 5 meters from the door. It was painted metallic black and had black out tints on all the window except the windscreen.

I ran toward the vehicle and jumped in the open back door, slamming it behind me.

A strong quiet "Get down." Came from the front seat.

And out of shear habit of following the orders of my mentor, I hit the floor without a second thought.

Dimitri put his foot down and the Explores engine gunned.

We screamed out of the garage and out into the night.

As we made our way through the court grounds down toward the main gate, it suddenly occurred to me that _Dimiti_ was driving.

What the hell, Dimitri that didn't love me anymore, Dimitri that hadn't come to me the entire time I had been in my prison cell.

My mind raced, could this have been what Abe had been talking to Dimitri about when Lissa had seen them? And more to the point was he the reason why my path to the garage had been peppered with unconscious guardians?

"We coming to the main gate, don't move or say anything, the tints should be dark enough to hide your presents if you stay still."

I didn't answer, still far too confused by Dimitri's presents and by my mother's illegal activities.

Dimitri came to a stop by the main gate guard hut.

"Belikov, we are you off to?" A guardian with a bassy voice asked. Without even a second thought Dimitri answered.

"I'm off to the airport to pick up one of the Badica's, he's flying in on a public flight with a couple of his guardians because none of the jets were free for a transfer from Baltimore."

The lie slide off Dimitri's tongue so easily and in such a tone that it reminded me of my time in Siberia with him as a strigoi. My breathing increased and before I knew what my problem was, I was all but hyperventilating.

Luckily the guard bought Dimitri's excuse, even though the whole court was in near complete disarray from a small bomb that had been detonated outside a small unused servants quarters at the back of the guardians building. If the guard hadn't believed Dimitri, we totally would have been busted when my breathing had increased, but were already moving forward and the electric window in the driver's door was already up.

I tried to control me breathing; I had to remember that this was my Dimitri, not the twisted strigoi version; this one would never hurt me, or let anything happen to me. This was the Dimitri that was supposed to be my partner in guarding Lissa, and my mentor. And my one time lover, my brain slid in before I could stop the thought.

No, I wouldn't read anything into his being the one driving my getaway vehicle. I couldn't, it had hurt so much to be constantly turned away and ignored, like I meant nothing to him and no matter how many people he beat up for me, I couldn't let myself believe he was doing this for me.

No, I told myself, no doubt Abe had made some deal with him or he was doing this because he knew what would happen to Lissa if I died, and after all he had pledged his loyalty to her, to do anything and everything to help her and keep her safe. Yeah that would be it. He was doing this for Lissa.

My breathing finally let up a couple of miles down the road just as Dimitri pulled over to the side of the road.

We came to a full stop and Dimitri turn in his seat.

"You can jump into the front seat now; I think we're far enough away."

I sat up, I didn't know what to say, so silently I crawl into the front passenger seat and buckled in.

Dimitri watched me, obviously confused by my silence.

"Abe has made travel plans for us, but we have to drive through to Manhattan. Our flight leaves at 3pm tomorrow."

I looked at Dimitri, "Our flight?" I asked him.

He just nodded and pulled out on to the road.

Shit, Abe thought I was just going to leave the country and with Dimitri. Well I so wasn't going to do that.

The only question was could I trust Dimitri enough to tell him what my real plans where or should I just do a runner once we got to Manhattan.

I sat silently for the first hour of our three hour drive into New York. I was running through my options.

The old Rose would have given Dimitri the slip during the day while we were supposed to be sleeping, that way I could just blend into the crowded streets and be on my way.

But I had so much more riding on this adventure than what I usually did. This time it was about more than just me and my friends. It was about the fate of my entire community, the Moroi, the Dhampir.

Man, what I wouldn't give to be just some normal 18 year old contemplating what university course to take or even what dress to wear to a party.

I sighed aloud.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter Nine

Dimtri reached for the Explores radio/CD player and started tuning the radio.

After a couple of minutes he found an Eighties radio station and all of a sudden I was laughing.

I was suddenly time warped back to a time before I had been with Dimitri, a time before Mason had been killed, a time before a lot of things.

It was like I was back in the car with Dimitri, on my way to my qualifier interview with Arthur Schoenberg.

When Dimitri had given me a choice between eighties music and country.

Back in the present I went quiet again and Dimitri glanced at me, a look in his eyes that told me, he too was remembering that trip. That trip had been the beginning of my guardian life. I had learnt how to read a crime scene and even though the man who was supposed to be interviewing me was dead by the time we got to his house, I had still been interviewed, in a way. Kind of a trial-by-fire thing, I had to tell the crime scene clean up guardians what I could discern from what was in front me.

"You're very quiet." Dimitri said to me, stirring me out of my memories.

I just shrugged, still unsure what to say to him.

"I don't think we're being followed." He said obviously thinking my silence was out of concern of our situation.

"That's not why I'm being quiet." I corrected him in a very even tone, not wanting to let him know how confused I was about him being in the car with me and not someone else.

"oh." he said surprised. "So why are you being so quiet?"

"I'm thinking."

Dimitri chuckled.

"Well that's new." He said through his chuckle. "The Rose Hathaway I knew would just think as she went along."

"I'm not that girl anymore, a lot has happened since you last spent time with me." I wasn't snarky as I said that, although it was an effort to stay calm.

"Yes, I suppose that's true." Dimitri replied with a grimace, and turned his attention back to the road.

That was all he said, no 'I'm sorry' no 'I should have been there'.

For another hour I sat silently, seething.

I couldn't make sense of why Dimitri was with me. Not if what he had been saying to me since his transformation back to Dhampir was true, which of cause he had insisted it was.

Finally I had had enough.

"Pull over." I said in my best hard-ass-guardian voice.

"What?" Dimitri replied

"I said pull over." I said a little harder.

"Why?"

I turn to face Dimitri.

"Pull the hell over Dimitri." I yelled at him and he started.

Without another word he pulled over, and before we had come to a complete stop I threw my door open and got out. The uneven gravel under my feet shifted a little under my weight, but I managed to keep my balance. Yay me.

Dimitri got out and came around the back of the Explorer.

"Roza, are you alright, is something wrong?" He asked coming up to me and put a hand on my shoulder.

I pulled away from his hand.

"Don't call me that." I said, practically yelling at him

"Call you . . . . . "

"Roza, don't call me Roza. God damn it Dimtri." I could feel the rage inside me creeping up, I was going to boil over if I wasn't careful, but I couldn't bring myself to stop.

I looked Dimitri in the eye, those beautiful brown eyes.

"What the hell are you playing at? First, your all 'I don't want to see you rose'. 'My loves faded Rose'. And now here you are, getting me out of prison, beating guardians to a pulp, all so I can escape." I took a quick breath and continued.

"I suppose you're doing this for Lissa, help her by helping her shadow kissed guardian?"

Dimitri just stared at me.

"Or is because Abe bribed you? Because I'm telling you now, if that's why your here, you might as well just get in the SUV and go back to the court, because I don't need your help. I've lived this long without you, in fact in spite of you." Dimitri winced but I went on.

"I have killed strigoi, dozens of them, so I don't need you for that. And as for Abe's plans for us to go wherever the hell he thinks is best, well I already have a plan and leaving the country is not part of it." The last bit left my mouth before I had a chance to stop it.

But before I could cover up my let-slip-plan Dimitri spoke.

"I was taking you to Baia." His voice was quiet, if it wasn't for my Dhampir hearing I would never had heard him.

"What." I said, hearing that had brought me out of my rage.

Dimitri raised his eyes from the ground and looked me in the eye.

"I was taking you home."

I was lost, what the hell, he was taking me home?

"I can protect you there. I've already talked to my mother. She was so happy to hear from me."

"Had someone told her what happened with Lissa? My god, Olena. I told her you were strigoi. They had your memorial . . . . "

Dimitri held his hand up to stop my words.

"I know, she told me." His eyes showed more affection with that one glance than what I had seen in him for so long that my knees almost buckled.

Again, I was speechless. The time I had spent in Baia with Dimitri's family had been one of the saddest times in my life, yet had also been one of the happiest. His entire family had embraced me as one of them, treated me like I had been Dimitri's wife. I had heard stories of him in childhood and in return I had shared my stories of him as an adult.

Dimitri took my silence as permission to keep talking.

"I spoke with Yeva as well."

My eyes widened in alarm, I still wasn't sure if Dimitri's grandmother like me or not, she was so hard to read.

Dimitri grinned at my worried look.

"She speaks very highly of you. She said after you left Baia she knew you would bring me back."

"She was the one that told me to leave. Told me I was I disappointment." I looked at the ground. I may have come through in the end, but she had dreamed of me as a shinning warrior and that wasn't what she had found.

"She told me to give you a message." I looked up when he said that, if Yeva had a message I knew it would be worth listening to. "She said 'You shine again'."

I grinned, Yeva was good alright. She had known that I would take her words to heart, and she knew that I would need to hear that.

"You know what that means? She said you would, but still it's a little vague." Dimitri enquired.

"Yeah, I know what she was on about." I said still grinning and shaking my head a little.

Talking with Dimitri felt so intimate. Talking about his family, his life, like I was actually a part of it. Suddenly I recalled our conversation in the church.

"Why are you here Dimitri?" I asked needing to get back on track.

"You know why I'm here Rose." He said simply, like I really should know, aarrgghh men!

"No, I don't. If I did I wouldn't have asked."

Dimitri stepped forward and put his fingers lightly under my chin and started to move his face down to mine.

"I'm here because I. . . . . "His words were cut off.

I was suddenly pulled into Lissa's thoughts and I was seeing through her eyes.

Lissa was so angry, and most of it was directed at me. In front of her was Hans Croft, the guardian in charge at court and a few other guardians from the Guardian Council.

"Where has she gone?" Hans asked Lissa.

She glared at him.

"Do I look like I know where she's gone? Seriously, I want to know where she is as much as you!"

Hans looked at Lissa doubtfully.

"Okay we'll try another question. Who helped her?"

A small flicker of pride sparked to life in Lissa thoughts, even through her anger at me.

"She got the better of you huh?" Lissa replied almost laughing. "And as for who helped her, she has a lot of friends, it could be anyone."

Hans was all but growling at Lissa, I could read his frustration all over his face.

"You can't expect us to believe you have no idea about anything, you two have been friends most of your lives and no matter where she goes you're always close behind, well maybe not when she left school after the attack." Hans said obvious trying to get her angry enough to spill whatever information she had. Unfortunately for him, Lissa knew nothing.

His comment about me leaving her behind when I went to Siberia struck a nerve though. But not the one Hans was trying to get at.

Lissa started to cry.

"I don't know where she went or even how she got out." Lissa sobbed. "She didn't tell me anything."

Lissa tears seemed to soften Hans just a bit, and his body relaxed, obviously realising Lissa really didn't know anything.

Lissa's anger started to ease a bit as she cried and I was able to drag myself back out of her mind.


	10. Chapter 10

CHAPTER TEN

Lissa emotions had been so strong that I hadn't felt myself collapse, but when I came back to myself I was half on the ground and half in Dimitri's arms.

I looked up into Dimitri's eyes and saw utter worry in them.

It felt good to be held by him and his hand that he had often had to pull back from stroking my hair in the past was gently pushing my hair from my face.

"Are you alright, is Lissa alright?" Dimitri asked.

I nodded my head slowly, being ripped into Lissa mind that fast sometimes left me a little disorientated.

"Yeah, she's just being question about my disappearance." I replied.

I would have really enjoyed staying in Dimitri's arms but I knew it wouldn't be long before someone figured out which direction I was going. We needed to keep moving. Also I found that I was feeling strange about having Dimitri's arms around me, again memories of my imprisonment in Siberia came flooding back.

I shook my head a little, to shack the memories away and then I pushed out of Dimitri's arms and slowly got to my feet.

He didn't try to help me up; I think he knew that I would have seen that as him thinking me weak.

"We need to go." I said.

Dimitri nodded and got up.

We both headed to the SUV, silence falling over us again as we got back on the road.

The silence lasted for the rest of our trip into Manhattan.

I kept running over Dimitri's words before I had been pulled into Lissa Head. I kept telling myself that I was mistaken he couldn't have been about to kiss me.

Any normal person would probably just ask, but I was so over being hurt by him. So I just kept my mouth shut, I know, totally new concept for me but what can I say, every bodies got to grow up sometime.

It's just my luck that I would learn the need for self preservation now.

As we were crossing one of the bridges into Manhattan I turned to Dimitri.

"So, where are we staying?" I asked

"Trump International." He said uneasily.

That stumped me a little, I was on the run, and surely we should be keeping a low profile.

"Who booked that?" I asked

"Abe did, he figured that after your time in that prison cell you would need a little luxury."

"Okay, but shouldn't I be keeping my head down." I said voicing my earlier thoughts.

"That was what I suggested, but Abe decided that Trump International would be the last place anyone would think to look for you."

"Yeah, I guest thats right." I laughed. Trust Abe to go about things completely different to what everybody else in world do.

I looked down at myself, taking in my appearance. I wasn't exactly in a prison jumpsuit but I certainly wasn't dressed for an upmarket hotel.

Dimitri noticed me evaluating my appearance.

"Abe also gave me a bag of things for you to wear." He said.

"Are they in the back?" I asked, and Dimitri nodded.

We didn't have long before we reached our hotel so I jumped in the back of the Explorer and pulled the suitcase from the very back of the vehicle.

If nothing else after looking through the suitcase, I had to say either Abe or one of his staff members had incredible good taste when It came to clothing and footwear.

It took only a couple of minutes to decide on a fitted pair of black hipster dress pants, a cropped fashion tank and a nice pair of black Prada heals. I figured at almost 6am on a Saturday morning looking like I had just finished partying for the night would be a good cover for checking in this early in the morning.

When I moved back to the front seat I pulled down the visor and used the mirror to make sure my hair was looking half decent and my face clean.

When I was done I looked over at Dimitri who was just turning back to the road.

"Interesting choice of top." He said, trying to sound nonchalant, but failing.

I looked down at myself. I had a very nice figure, months of hard training had given me a trim waist line and a flat lightly muscled stomach, which lead up to my nicely rounded chest (a gift of Dhampir genetics).

"I figured I would go for the I've-been-clubbing-all-night look, gives us cover for checking in at 6 o'clock in the morning." I replied also failing at keeping my voice cool and even.

Dimitri nodded, obviously pleased that I was thinking ahead.

"That fits with the rest of the cover."

I gave him a questioning look.

"I'm playing your bodyguard; Abe thought we should be undercover." Dimitri said in explanation.

I took in Dimitri's appearance then. He wasn't wearing his usual off-duty attire, but instead his guardian formal.

I sighed in appreciation, damn, he still looked good.

When we arrived at Trump International, we were greeted by a valet and a bell boy.

Dimitri exited the SUV first and came round to my door and opened it.

Before Lissa's parents had died, I had dressed in the latest fashion and played the high roller part at Lissa's side happily, but now I felt uncomfortable.

As I walked forward to the main door of the hotel the bell boy went around to the back of the car to get our luggage and Dimitri fell instep just behind me.

I held my head high as we walked through the foyer to reception, trying to project confidence instead of unease.

As we came to a stop the clerk asked for our reservation name, but before I could even fathom an answer Dimitri stepped forward.

"Belikov, Roza Belikov." Dimitri answered.

My head snapped to look at him. He didn't return my look.

After that the clerk did the usual check in routine and the bellboy who had our luggage showed us to our rooms.

We were on the fourth floor. Our suite was gorgeous.

It was a two bedroom apartment, very modern with a huge flat screen T.V. in the lounge. Both rooms had king size beds and an ensuite.

I walked in to the lounge area after making a sweep of the apartment.

Dimitri was tipping the bellboy.

After another 30 seconds we were alone.

I stood looking at Dimitri for another 30 seconds; he held my eyes with his.

I broke eye contact first, this thing with Dimitri was doing my head in, and I had to have some time to myself.

Not only did I need space from Dimitri, I needed to decide what to do about my mission.

I turned and took a step toward the room I had claimed as mine.

"Rose." Dimitri pleaded. "We need to talk."

I spun on my heel and looked at him.

How dear he plead with me. I was the one who had been turned away, time after time, after saving his life. I was the one that had been left alone by him.

I was fuming, the rage in me building again like earlier on the side of the road. I knew It wasn't truly my rage though; it was the darkness that I was siphoning away from Lissa that was amplifying my own feelings.

I took a few deep breaths. I loved Dimitri but his not coming to me in my cell had done a lot of damage.

"Dimitri, I can't do this, not now. I have other things to worry about."

He kept his face straight, but something flashed in his eyes. Pain.

"Rose, I need to talk to you."

That was it; _he _needed to talk to me.

"You need? What about what I need? For the last few months my entire life has revolved around _what you need._" I spat at him. He just stayed still not saying a word.

"You have no idea what I have been through since you got taken from St Vladimir's. And before you start with the whole guilt thing about Siberia, don't."

He went to speak but after a quick breath I started talking again.

"Nothing that you did to me as a strigoi could even compare to the torture I went through watching you running out of that cave, Nathan jumping on you and ripping into your throat." Hot tears slid down my cheeks as I remembered.

"I went to Siberia Dimitri; I went to kill the man I loved. You have no idea what that did to me, especially when I got home and found that I had failed. I hadn't just failed at killing you, I had failed _you._ But I had hope. I found out about Robert Doru, about his claims of restoring a strigoi to its former self. I clung to a small hope even when people thought I was crazy.

"I had to do a lot of things to get to the bottom of the story but I did it. And then Lissa managed to fix you. And then you left me again. You didn't have a choice when Nathan turned you, but you had a choice when you told me to forget you, when you told me that your love had faded."

I took a steadying breath. I wasn't yelling but my voice was uneven with tears.

"And now you tell me _you want to talk_." I snorted with indignation.

Finishing my speech I just stood, looking at Dimitri, not even sure if I wanted him to say anything back.


	11. Chapter 11

CHAPTER ELEVEN

I turned and went to my room.

My emotions were running in directions I never would have thought were possible.

Dimitri tried to say something but I closed my door.

Oh sure, I loved him, more than I could ever say but I had too much going on in my life. And like he said, _love fades, mine has_. The only way I was going to be able to do what I needed to get Lissa on the council and maybe queen was to do as Tatiana wanted.

So with that I threw myself at my giant king size bed.

Somewhere in the distance of the hotel apartment I heard Dimitri shut his door.

It took awhile for me to sleep and when I did it was fitful.

Finally I woke at 4:30pm. So much for a 3pm flight.

I thought I should check on Lissa.

She was in her room with Abe, Christian and my mother.

"Before you even ask me, I have no idea where Rose went or even how she got out." Lissa told the adults in an exasperated tone.

"We know you don't." My mother told her.

Lissa was totally thrown by that comment.

"What do you mean, you know she doesn't know." Christian asked before Lissa could say anything.

"Exactly that." Abe said with a smug smile on his face. He looked kind of pleased with himself.

"We know where Rose is and who she is with." Mother said with a chiding look at Abe.

Lissa and Christian locked eyes on my mother.

Lissa thoughts almost made me laugh because they were basically the same as what mine had been when Janine had picked the door lock to my cell.

"What the hell . . . . " Lissa and Christian said at the same time.

Quickly Lissa's thoughts change pattern to anger.

"She knew she was getting out and she didn't tell me!" Lissa said her voice getting louder with every word.

"How could she do this to me, we agreed that if there was going to be anymore crazy stuff I was coming too."

Everybody looked questioningly at Lissa. But she was so angry that she didn't take any notice of what she was saying.

"After she came back from Siberia, she promised me she would never leave me behind again." Tears of rage spilled down Lissa face as she continued to rant.

"I mean for goodness sake, we broke Victor out of prison together, saved Dimitri together. What the hell was she thinking?"

My mother, ever quick, heard what Lissa had said about Victor, but it was Abe that spoke first.

"Yes, I have to admit that when news of his escape broke, I did have my suspicions about if it was her or not." Abe said with a small, proud grin on his face. Obviously his daughter breaking the law made him proud, ha.

"What?' Janine snipped.

"Well, it was a 3 person team that got the Prince out, and before Adrian join them in Las Vegas, Lissa and Rose only had one other person with them, Eddie wasn't it?" Abe asked Lissa.

Lissa looked at the ground as she nodded slightly.

She knew she'd opened her mouth to much in her anger, but even though she was hanging her head she was glad that she had told Abe and Janine. Kind of like, she was poking her tongue out at me by telling my parents.

I watched my parents exchange looks. My mother obviously shocked and Abe still looking proud.

"So, why didn't she take me with her? Or even tell me?" Lissa asked Abe.

"Well, with the political climate as it is, she thought that the best thing would be to keep you in a position of plausible deniability." Abe answered in his matter of act tone.

Lissa just looked at him, her mind going over the last statement. Logically, she knew I was right; it was safer for her (in more ways than one), not to know what I was up to. But she was still pissed as hell.

"So where is she then?" Christian asked while Lissa was in thought.

"I'm afraid it's safer for you not to know that."

Lissa was about to kick off again but she was silenced by the sound of a cell phone ring.

It was my mothers.

"Hello?" she said in her all-business tone. "I see, and what would you like me to do?" If I had said that to anyone they would have thought I was using attitude but the way Janine said it, it was nothing more than a question.

"Alright, I'll be over in about 10 minutes." She closed the phone.

All eyes in the room were on her again.

"They have had a tip off, someone saw them driving toward New York." My mother told the room.

I pulled out of Lissa's head as Janine said her goodbyes and headed to the guardians building, I presumed.

I sat up in my bed. I had to get out of here before i was found.

I listened for sounds of Dimitri but all I heard was silence.

I got up and went through my suitcase.

I threw on a pair of hipster jeans and a fitted tee and hoody. I looked at the selection of shoes that had been put in the bag, and although there was a fine selection of Prada and Jimmy Choo's, I grab a pair of trainers.

After I pulled a brush threw my hair and tied it up I went through the rest of my suitcase and found a small purse with a credit card and $500 cash and a fake id in it, god bless Abe, he had given me my escape route without even knowing it.

After I had heard Janine say that someone had seen us I had decided to leave Dimitri behind. He wanted to take me to Siberia and keep me safe but I had things to do. Not to mention the confusion him being with me was causing.

I slid out my bedroom door, praying that Dimitri was still sleeping and wouldn't hear me.

But when I got to the door there was a note taped to it

_Rose, I didn't want to wake you i changed our flight times, we don't need to be at the airport til 9pm. I've just gone out to get us some breakfast. Be back soon. D._

I let out a breath that I hadn't realised I was holding. Trying to disappear with him in the same hotel room would have been hard.

I moved out into the hallway and started heading toward the stairwell.

Just as I was about to open the security door I head the elevator ding. Shit.

Moving quickly I got through the door and closed before anyone got off the elevator. Damn that was close.

I made my way down the stairwell quickly, heading for the back for the hotel and hopefully an emergency exit that came out at the back of the hotel.

I figured that as soon as Dimitri realised I wasn't in the room he would run and try to find me.

Once outside I followed the service exit out on to the side street and found a cab.

It took about an hour and a half to get to the airport because of the traffic.

I had to get to New Orleans, once I got to the air port it didn't take long for me to book a flight. The fake ID that Abe had given me worked like a charm.

Thinking it was the luckiest day of my life, I headed for the bathrooms to freshen up before I was due to board my flight an hour later.

It was a bit of a hike to the bathroom but I took the time to breath.

I thought about Dimitri, leaving him behind had been hard, but in my 18 years I had done harder things, and funnily enough, most of those things had been for him.

I noticed that the sun was down, after my experiences in Siberia, night time always brought my senses fully on line, and I always noticed what time the sun went down.

I was straightening myself up in front of the mirror when that familiar nausea came across me and I cursed in my head.

Just when I thought I would make it to New Orleans unimpeded.

One of the other things I had found in my suitcase before I left the hotel had been a silver stake, which I now took out of my hoodies pocket.

I looked around the bathroom to double check that I was the only one in there.

Chances are that a strigoi was out to get breakfast and figured a tired passenger would be easy pickings in an airport bathroom.

I backed away from the door and into one the empty stalls. Strigoi have excellent hearing so no doubt it would figure I was in the bathroom on my own, unfortunately for the strigoi I wasn't just some tired passenger, I was a fully trained and field tested guardian, complete with molnija marks.


	12. Chapter 12

CHAPTER TWELVE

I stood in the stall for what felt like hours, waiting and trying to keep my breathing controlled.

I heard the outside door to the bathroom open and then the inter door squeak slightly as it opened.

My heart rate jumped when I heard not one but two sets of footsteps. The limited space of the bathroom could be to my advantage if I choose the right time to attack, but even a second out and things could get very bloody, very quickly.

With the rise in my heart rate the strigoi paused for a second. They were right outside the stall door. I had planned on letting them come to me, kind of like a bottle neck so I only had to deal with one at a time, but as impatient as I am, I threw open the stall door.

I saw a female strigoi first. The red rimmed eyes and the pale complexion twisting what would have been a beautiful face in life.

She reached for me but I was already moving, I spun, making sure I eluded her grip and as I came round to face her again, I took advance of my momentum and flung my arm out. My stake bit into her heart before she could even process what had happened.

Taking my stake with me I spun back out of the way as the second strigoi, a male, made a grab for my neck.

I could see anger written all over his face. So I had obviously just killed his mate.

He lunged for me as the bathroom door opened which took his focus off the lung and he tripped a little on the body of his mate. But before I could use his stumble to my advantage, the person who had opened the door flashed to the strigoi, grabbing it around the neck at the same time as bringing a stake up under his arm and slamming it passed the ribs and into the heart.

Stunned at the fact that the second strigoi was dead, I took a minute to realise who my helper was.

Dimitri.

He let the now very dead strigoi fall to the fall, and we stood there looking at each other.

He hadn't even broken a sweat taking out the second strigoi and as per normal he had made something that should have been hard and made it into an elegant dance of lethal perfection.

"Come, we have to get going before anyone finds us in here with these bodies." Dimitri said strongly and he took my hand and led me out the bathrooms and over to the gate my flight was due to depart from.

He found a couple of empty seats to the side of the waiting area.

I sat down making sure my stake was securely in my pocket.

"Are you alright?" Dimitri asked me calmly as he sat next to me.

I snapped my head so I could look him in the eye.

"Of course I'm fine; I've been in worse positions before".

Dimitri slapped on his your-about-to-get-lectured face.

"What were you thinking, leaving the hotel? You're lucky it was just a couple of hungry strigoi and that I found you in time to help. If it had been guardians, you would have been back in custody." He sighed then and put his head in his hands.

It took me a couple of seconds to regroup and answer him. He really did seem to be worried about me, but I needed to get away from him and head to New Orleans.

I stood and looked down at him.

"Dimitri, I'm sorry for leaving you at the hotel, and thanks really for your help in there, you made my day a touch easier, but I can't go home to Baia with you, I've got something I need to do before I disappear off the grid."

He looked up at me with a frown.

"Rose you need to talk to me, maybe I can help."

"I don't know if you can, I mean you obviously told Abe that you would take me away and keep me safe, and knowing him he's probably got something on you to make sure you cooperate, I mean you told me in Siberia that you couldn't stand him and I know you don't want me, so why else would you be doing all this."

"Enough." Dimitri yelled and all but jumped to his feet.

I stood there stunned by his sudden lack of control.

Without any warning he grabbed me, one hand on either side of my face and kissed me.

At first I didn't kiss back but the heat of his lips on mine sent familiar sparks flying all over me, so I responded with the same heat and passion that he was kissing me with.

The world around us dissolved. I heard nothing but the sound of Dimitri's heart beat, felt nothing but his lips and then his arms as he rapped them around me like a protective blanket, and then, just for a second, all that mattered was him.

I pulled away first, I still loved Dimitri, who was I kidding trying to put him out of my mind and leave him behind, as I opened mouth to speak he beat me to the punch.

"Rose, after the hearing I went to Abe. I told him I loved you and would do anything to save you."

I looked at Dimitri with my mouth open unsure what to say, but he didn't stop there.

"That day in the cafe when the queen's guards took you away, I fought for you. I fought because when they said they were taking you I realised that I never wanted anyone or anything to take you away from me again. I kept sending you away from me because of the horrible things I've done to you. To let you have a life without a constant reminder that I would have killed you had I had a chance."

A single tear ran down Dimitri's face then. One drop that was an ocean of unsaid things and emotions denied.

My own eyes wet with tears, I kissed Dimitri lightly on his lips and then pulled back just enough so I could look him in the eye.

"I love you too, Dimitri."

"_Would all passengers holding tickets for American Airlines flight 2376 to New Orleans please now board through gate 32."_

"Shit." I said pulling away from Dimitri again.

"What?" Dimitri asked looking a little confused.

"This is my flight, come on we need to get you a ticket." I said taking his hand and heading for the closest counter.

"Rose wait . . . . " Dimitri said trying to stop me.

"I'll explain on the plane, i promise, you just have to trust me, we need to get you a ticket."

"Rose, stop." I spun around about to give him an earful for not trusting me but once I was facing him I realised he was waving a ticket in front of my face.

"When you left the hotel, I figured you'd try to get away from New York, so I headed here. Just as I parked out the front I saw you going in the main doors. I followed you and heard you booking your flight, so I got a ticket after you moved away."

"You were going to grab me on the flight weren't you?" I said putting my hands on my hips.

Dimitri smiled his beautiful half smile that I always liked and all the fight went out of me.


End file.
